UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious Johnson Open to Superfights in Addition to Title Defenses

While “Mighty Mouse” asserted his happiness to continue defending his UFC flyweight title, Johnson (Pictured, file photo) also said he is game for another kind of fight.

“I’ve beaten the best of the best in the flyweight division, but there are still up-and-coming fighters in there. I know there are some key matchups coming up pretty soon,” Johnson said at the post-fight press conference.

“There are still a couple of flyweights out there I haven’t fought, and I wouldn’t mind fighting them -- whatever the UFC wants me to do. I think everybody was focused on Anderson Silva and [Georges St. Pierre], but I think we can make some fun superfights down in the lighter weight divisions with the flyweights fighting the bantamweights. Let’s see what happens. I’m just here to fight and have fun and put on a good performance for the UFC and the fans.”

Johnson, who has also beaten Joseph Benavidez, Ian McCall and Jon Dodson since joining the UFC’s nascent flyweight division last year, put forth arguably the most impressive performance of his career tonight at Seattle’s KeyArena by submitting Moraga in the fifth round. After using his wrestling to control Moraga for the majority of the 25-minute contest, Johnson tapped his larger challenger with a last-minute armbar to retain his belt, marking the champ’s first stoppage win in the UFC.

“My job in the gym is to train to finish. I was trying to finish him in the first round with a guillotine, and then I had opportunities with the kimura. Then in the fifth round, even though I was ahead on the scorecards, I’m never just relaxing and trying to coast. My job is to finish and push the pace. [The opportunity] arose, and I just took it,” said Johnson. “I’m just trying to evolve my game. I’m a white belt in jiu-jitsu, so I’m just using my wrestling to get to a position where I can use the submission. It just so happened that the opportunity was there. Usually when I fight guys, they shell up.”

Despite his masterful performance, Johnson gave credit to Moraga, who gamely fought out of Johnson’s prior submission attempts and top control.

“John Moraga was doing a good job,” said Johnson. “Out of all the people I’ve fought, he’s the one who showed up in shape and never gassed out. He was always there, every single round. He’s a tough guy.”